In recent years, scientists have discovered an interesting phenomenon: when a group of killer whales is hunting, humpback whales will rush over to interfere with the killer whales' hunting action, to protect the marine animals that are preyed upon by the killer whales.

At first, scientists thought it was just a coincidence, but there are more and more cases of humpback whales literally "rescuing" marine animals that have been preyed upon by killer whales.

Humpback whales are the only animals, among the many members of the baleen whale family and in the oceans, that are effectively stopping killer whales from killing! Many call them "deadly rivals" because of their complex and delicate relationship.

Killer whales, often called orcas, are apex predators known for their intelligence and cooperative hunting strategies.

They have a diverse diet that includes fish, seals, sea lions, and even other marine mammals. Their complex social structure and communication skills contribute to their hunting success.

On the other hand, humpback whales have impressive size and behavior. They are baleen whales, filter-feeding on small fish and krill. They migrate long distances annually to feed in productive coastal and polar waters.

Humpback whales are relatively docile and rarely fight with other cetaceans except orcas. They are very social, preferring to move in pairs, and have a long lifespan, living up to 70 years.

Why do humpback whales like to "beat up" killer whales?

Killer whales are the strongest predators in the ocean, they are strong and invincible in the sea, and even blue whales do not dare to easily provoke.

However, from time to time, a "righteous man" will come forward to stop the killer whales from killing, and this "righteous man" is the humpback whale.

According to statistics, 60% of the conflicts between humpback whales and killer whales are initiated by humpback whales. No matter what kind of animal the killer whales are feeding on, such as sperm whales, sharks, seals, etc., humpback whales may rush over to rescue them.

The reason for this behavior may be that killer whales typically hunt the calves of large baleen whales, including blue whales, fin whales, humpback whales, and more.

Traces of teeth left by killer whales are found on the tails and flippers of many whales, suggesting that such attacks were common.

Killer whales, though ferocious, are no threat to adult humpback whales, but as opportunists, killer whales will attack humpback whale calves as soon as they get the chance, resulting in many humpback whales dying in the ocean before they are old enough.

Fortunately, in recent years, humans have gradually increased their protection of the oceans, resulting in an upward trend in the humpback whale population, which has now recovered to the levels of the 1940s, with only a small portion of the population remaining threatened.